Gordon F. De Jong

Expectations, gender, and norms in migration decision-making

This paper argues that expectations - the process of evaluating the chances for future attainment of valued goals in the home community (stay decision) vs. alternative locations (move decision) - along with family norms about migration are major predictors of intention to move, which in turn is a proximate determinant of migration behaviour. Utilizing longitudinal data from the 1992 and 1994 waves of the Thailand National Migration Survey, logistic regression models show that a strikingly different set of expectations, household demographic indicators, and migrant capital factors were significant determinants of migration intentions for men and women; reflecting Thai gender roles. Migration intentions, in turn, predicted more permanent, but not temporary, survival strategy migration behaviour, while low household income predicted temporary but not more permanent migration behaviour. The measure of perceived family migration norms was a powerful determinant of migration behaviour, but the size of migrant networks was not a statistically significant determinant of either migration intentions or behaviour.This paper argues that expectations - the process of evaluating the chances for future attainment of valued goals in the home community (stay decision) vs. alternative locations (move decision) - along with family norms about migration are major predictors of intention to move, which in turn is a proximate determinant of migration behaviour. Utilizing longitudinal data from the 1992 and 1994 waves of the Thailand National Migration Survey, logistic regression models show that a strikingly different set of expectations, household demographic indicators, and migrant capital factors were significant determinants of migration intentions for men and women; reflecting Thai gender roles. Migration intentions, in turn, predicted more permanent, but not temporary, survival strategy migration behaviour, while low household income predicted temporary but not more permanent migration behaviour. The measure of perceived family migration norms was a powerful determinant of migration behaviour, but the size of migrant n...

Religiosity in 5-D: An Empirical Analysis

Based on a framework suggested by Charles Glock that religiosity should include ideological, ritualistic, experiential, intellectual, and consequential dimensions, data from 362 college students were analyzed for scalability. Five Guttman type scales were constructed-one for each dimension. Interrelationships among the five dimensions were tested by computing correlation coefficients. The ideological dimension was unmistakably of pervasive importance. At the other extreme in size of correlations was the consequential dimension, suggesting that this dimension may reflect a qualitatively different measure of religious involvement. The diversity in the degree of relationships examined lends empirical support to the view that religious involvement is characterized by several dimensions-some of which are more closely related than others.

A double disadvantage? Minority group, immigrant status, and underemployment in the United States

Objective. This study documents the magnitude of four types of underemployment experienced by both native‐born minority and ethnic immigrant male and female workers in the United States and tests a “double disadvantage” economic outcome hypothesis that minority workers tend to be channeled into secondary‐sector jobs and that immigrant workers face initial disadvantages in labor force assimilation. Method. Data for men and women aged 25‐64 who are in the labor force and not attending school were derived from the 1990 Census Bureau Public Use Microdata Sample. Multinomial logistic regression procedures were used to estimate the effect of minority group membership and immigrant status on the odds of unemployment, part‐time employment, working poverty, and job mismatch, relative to adequate employment. Results. Descriptive results showed greater overall underemployment among females than males. Blacks and Hispanics had higher unemployment and working‐poverty rates compared to non‐Hispanic whites and Asians, with job mismatch highest among Asians. Immigrant underemployment was greater than that of the native‐born. Asians posted the largest disparity in immigrant versus native‐born underemployment, and blacks had the smallest. Multivariate models showed that minority group effects were stronger than immigrant status effects in predicting underemployment. Increased likelihood of underemployment across the different minority groups versus non‐Hispanic white workers was not fully accounted for by the expected influences of human‐capital, demographic, industry, and occupational variables. Conclusion. The double disadvantage hypothesis of minority group and immigrant status is accepted only for Asian men and women with jobs mismatched to their skills and for Asian women, who are most likely to be unemployed or be among the working poor.

For better, for worse: Life satisfaction consequences of migration

This study explores the extension of microeconomic and migrant network theoretical frameworks for explaining perceived post-migration life satisfaction of repeat (temporary) and more permanent labor force internal migrants in Thailand. Data from the 1992 National Migration Survey were used in logistic regression models to predict increased versus decreased post-move satisfaction with employment situation, living environment, and community facilities. Contrary to the neoclassical migration theory assumption, results showed that migration was associated with decreased post-move satisfaction. Microeconomic theory indicators were related to increased employment satisfaction but decreased post-move satisfaction with living environment. For network theory indicators, the results showed the opposite pattern - related to improved living environment satisfaction but decreased employment post-move satisfaction. Repeat (temporary) migrants were disadvantaged in post-move employment satisfaction compared to more permanent single move labor force migrants.

Family Migration in a Developing Country

A family model of migration is developed and empirically tested by using longitudinal data for respondents living in Ilocos Norte Province, Philippines. Based on the framework of a family-migration system, family migration is assumed to depend on the character of linkage to the migration system, family household structure, socio-economic resources, family pressure to migrate, family/kin ties to place of origin, and previous mobility experience of family members. Family-migration behaviour is specified as migration of some (one or more) family members, or of the entire family. The findings support the importance of linkage to a family-migration system by way of remittances and the previous mobility experience of family members in the prediction of both types of family migration. Migration of some family members is also predicted by fewer parcels of land owned, higher levels of education, larger household size, and an early life-course stage. Family pressure to migrate, indicating the interactional context ...

Migration Intentions and Behavior: Decision Making in a Rural Philippine Province

The relationship between intentions and behavior is basic to micro-level migration decision research. This study, set in the rural Philippine province of Ilocos Norte, provides evidence on personal and structural background factors and value-expectancy perceptions of place utility that predict migration intentions and behavior. Separate analyses are conducted for general intentions to move and for destination-specific migration intentions, the latter pertaining to both internal migration (Manila) and international migration (Hawaii). Logistic regression analyses applied to the data from a 1980–82 longitudinal survey show that the empirical models are highly efficient in explaining migration intentions but less efficient in explaining actual migration behavior in this Third World setting. Important explanatory variables for both intentions and behavior include family pressure to move or stay, family auspices at alternative destinations, money to move, prior migration experience, and the life cycle stage (marital status and age). However, the determinants of internal and international migration behavior are not the same. The data only partially support the Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) position that intentions are the dominant determinant of behavior. Personal and structural background factors are shown to exert independent direct effects on migration behavior.

Residential preferences andmigration

For some time now, public opinion polls have revealed Americans’ strong preference to live in comparatively small cities, towns, and rural areas rather than in large cities. However, as Fuguitt and Zuiches (1975) have reported, the majority of people also want these places to be within commuting distance of a large metropolitan city. This research tests the hypothesis that size-of-place and urban proximity preferences are factors in the dispersal of population through migration. A one-year panel survey of Pennsylvania households indicates that only about one household in ten that moved actually attained its preference for a smaller-sized place or a location more distant from a large city. Preferences for smaller-sized places and proximity to a city were not correlated with where people actually moved when the size and proximity of the previous residence were taken into consideration.

Population Redistribution, Migration, and Residential Preferences:

Census Bureau population estimates for metro politan and nonmetropolitan areas in the 1970s reveal, for the first time in over 50 years, higher population growth and net in-migration for nonmetropolitan areas than metropolitan areas. This dramatic and largely unanticipated reversal in the traditional population growth pattern is not limited to non metropolitan areas adjacent to metropolitan centers, but is also happening in many of the remote nonmetropolitan counties. In this article, the impact of residential preferences on population dispersal migration behavior is analyzed by means of data from a longitudinal migration survey. The widespread preference for small cities, villages, and the countryside identified in public opinion polls is not the sig nificant factor in nonmetropolitan migration. Rather, popula tion dispersal migrants are characterized by the willingness and apparently better ability to give up the urban-based conveniences to shopping, work, and public transportation to live in nonmetropolitan environments. Barring the crip pling effect of an energy crisis, the medium-range prospect for continued nonmetropolitan population growth appears plausible.

Religious fundamentalism, socio-economic status, and fertility attitudes in the southern appalachians

ResumenLas teorías referentes a la fecundidad diferencial sostienen con insistencia que la religión y la posición económico-social constituyen los factores más importantes en relación con las actitudes y el comportamiento frente a la fecundidad. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los estudios sólo considera las diferencias de fecundidad entre los protestantes, los católicos y los judíos.Los esfuerzos orientados a diferenciar las actitudes y el comportamiento en materia de fecundidad según la importancia de las distintas orientaciones de la religión protestante, no han tenido mucho éxito, Utilizando los datos de la encuesta realizada en los Apalaches del sur, se construyó una escala de creencias religiosas que aparecen significativamente relacionadas con las actitudes frente a la fecundidad.La importancia de tales creencias subsiste aun cuando la posición eoeio-económica, la edad y la residencia se midan estadísticamente mediante un análisis de correlación múltiple.

Immigrants’ TANF Eligibility, 1996–2003: What Explains the New Across-State Inequalities?1

Why did some states adopt stringent TANF-eligibility policies toward immigrants, while others implemented more lenient rules throughout the post-1996 welfare reform period? We use immigrant-specific welfare rule measures to examine predominant theoretical frameworks for understanding state stringency in welfare policy. Analysis, utilizing a simultaneous equations modeling (SEM) strategy, uses annual data for all states. Results show consistent support for the median voter (primarily, the percent of liberal voters) theoretical explanation for less stringent state welfare eligibility rules regarding immigrants. While the size of the Social-Security-recipient population (tax capacity indicator) and perhaps unacceptable reproductive behavior (teen birth rate) relate to more stringent rules, key state economic and fiscal characteristics (i.e., per capita welfare expenditures, per capita personal income) explain less stringent TANF eligibility rules. Importantly recent immigrant population concentration patterns (in new and traditional destination states) add to the theoretical explanation of less stringent state TANF immigrant eligibility policies.